Warminster business owner blindsided by town centre housing plans

Julie Harridge has run Harridges Gym in Warminster for more than two decades and said she only found out about plans to redevelop a nearby site through members of the public.

Bournemouth-based Ellis and Partners submitted plans in March to convert the rear part of the former Barclays Bank property in Market Place into a flat and construct an additional single dwelling.

However, Harridges Gym, which has shared access rights, received no warning about the application and Mrs Harridge said she only became aware of it while speaking with clients.

She said: “As the only business directly impacted, why were we not even on the list of neighbours consulted? Presumably because they knew we would strongly object due to the long-term impact on our business.

“We have shared access rights on this driveway to our private car park, with members and staff coming and going seven days a week from 7am till 9pm.

“Where are the building site lorries going to park? Where are the building supplies going to be stored? Where are scaffold lorries and builders’ vehicles parking?

“The only car park spaces on this site are on Harridges’ members and staff private property. How is anyone guaranteeing we have constant clear access?

“A lot of our members are now elderly, and some are disabled. They rely on being able to park easily in our car park.”

She noted that the entrance to the site was narrow and “totally unsuitable” for lorry access.

Mrs Harridge added: “Small businesses are having a hard enough time right now with soaring costs and business rates, let alone losing members because they are unable to park onsite anymore due to someone trying to squeeze a building into a very small area with shared access rights.”

Jonathan Shannessy, of Ellis and Partners, said it was Wiltshire Council’s responsibility to notify neighbours about planning applications.

“This is not something the applicants are required to do,” he explained.

“The planning officers have been in regular contact with us and changes have been made to the plans and parking arrangements to ensure that the application complies with all the comments made by the consultees that you would normally expect to be involved in the planning process.

“The application mirrors similar infill developments in the town centre that have recently been granted planning consent.”

Warminster Town Council voted to object to the application again when members met on Monday, August 17.

In April, councillors unanimously objected to the application on the grounds of over development of the site, and the impact increased traffic entering the site could have on neighbouring businesses.

Cllr Stacie Allensby was alarmed that people living and working nearby had not been notified.

“After speaking to several people in the area I learned that none of the residents or business owners had been contacted in regard to the application,” she said.

“The council voted to object to the planning application on the grounds of access and things they had previously objected on.”

Harridges is not listed as a neighbour or consultee on the Wiltshire Council planning portal however the authority said it contacted the gym about the amended plans at the beginning of August.

Cabinet member for development management Cllr Adrian Foster said: “A letter was sent to Harridges Gym on 3 August notifying them that amended plans have been submitted under the full planning application and that the deadline for further comments is 24 August 2026.”